Page 7 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

But she would obey her Master and go to class. She didn’t want to anger Devin and had been working very hard to keep that from happening.

She forced herself to walk inside and hesitated several feet from the room where the adult classes took place.

“Anna.”

She looked around for the source of the familiar voice and found Isaak standing by the stairs with a sad smile on his face. He’d aged since Alex’s funeral, but his blue eyes were still bright and youthful.

She gave a stiff nod. “Hello, Isaak.”

He walked to her and hugged her tightly. “We didn’t know what to think when you disappeared after the service. I kept hoping you’d come back.”

“I’m only here because Devin wants me dancing again.” She lifted her chin in defiance of the emotions threatening to erupt inside her.

Isaak kissed her cheek. “I’ll take you any way I can get you. Come. Let me introduce you to Ashley.”

“Ashley?”

“The new adult class instructor.”

Anna followed Isaak through the doorway and adrenaline rushed through her body as she remembered the thrill of being invited to the summer intensives. That had been a lifetime ago.

Isaak guided Anna into the room and smiled at a young woman with red hair and brown eyes. “Ashley, this is Anna. Anna, this is Ashley.”

“Hello, Anna. It’s great to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.” Ashley gave her a warm smile, but Anna clenched her jaw and gave a sharp nod. She wasn’t here to make friends. She was here to obey her Master. “You can stand wherever you’d be most comfortable.”

Anna walked stiffly to the corner, dropped her bag, and pulled on her ballet slippers. She recognized many of the dancers from when she’d taken these classes before. A few of them tried to engage her in conversation but Anna ignored them, turning to the barre and concentrating on warming up so she didn’t have to speak to anyone. She’d learned her lesson. Devin wanted her undivided attention and loyalty, and that’s what she intended to give him.

Only Alex could have changed that, and he was gone.

The next afternoon, Ian knocked on her apartment door and handed her a black plastic square with buttons on it. “For your new car.”

Curious, Anna followed him out to the parking garage, and he pointed out a small blue car with a big windshield. She squinted at the back. “A... pry-us?”

“Prius.” Ian nodded. “It’s a really popular car right now. Brand new. I put the leftover money into your account.”

Anna allowed a small smile. It was kind of cute. “Thanks.” She glanced at him. “Do you need a ride back to the Manor?”

“Nah. I had this delivered here. My car’s outside.”

“Oh. Okay.”

He hugged her. “I need to get back. The Manor’s a lot lonelier without you there.”

“You can come visit anytime.” She still needed sex, after all.

“I might do that. Oh, Devin said you need to get a cell phone.” He handed her a piece of paper. “Our phone numbers to put into your new phone. Call him when you get it.”

Anna nodded, wondering where to find a store to buy a cell phone.

After Ian left, Anna went back to her apartment to look for her purse. She found it in a box in the back of the closet and sat down to open her wallet. Her credit cards were still valid, but they belonged to Alex and his family, and she didn’t want to be a burden to them. She had some money in her old account now. It would be enough to live on.

She pulled out her driver’s license, her heart aching. As terrible quality the picture was, she could still see the happiness in her face.

She and Alex hadn’t even been married three months before he died. Wilhelm had come to the studio with the life-changing news on their three-month anniversary. Her name on the license was Anna Lee Kunzberg Herzogin von Hessen. Should she change her name back to Perkins since he was dead? Was that even possible?

Anna sighed and put her cards away. She didn’t want to think about it right now.

Chapter 5

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